To avoid Robert Bennett’s fate, the GOP must do things. ObamaCare must either be repealed or emasculated (if a veto-proof majority cannot be put together). The illegals problem must be solved firmly and quickly. The southern border must be secured before it explodes. The plague of PC that has overwhelmed political decision-making in this country since the first Bush administration must be ended. These only comprise a start. What people are demanding is a rollback. They will get it, or the politicians who stand in their way will wind up on the same ashheap as Bennett.

It happens that what the people are calling for matches the platform of the GOP almost point for point. The Republicans can prevail simply by being themselves, living up to their own standards and rhetoric. But we should never underestimate the Republican capacity for blowing a two-foot putt. Remember Dede Scozzafava, for one example.

If the Republicans drop the ball this time, if they toss aside their principles, break their promises, lose themselves in deals, Bennett’s downfall will expand to the level of massacre. 2012 will become the year of the third party, a serious third party, not the vanity productions of Ross Perot, but something we haven’t seen since 1912. And more than likely led by a populist crank of the Ron Paul variety. The last such upsurge by the Perotistas gave us Bill Clinton. And the next one…?

Via JWF, in case you’re under any illusions that this issue isn’t a winner in Arizona — the national media’s hysteria notwithstanding — look no further than this. It reminds me of The One’s vow to have Democrats run on ObamaCare in the fall, the only difference being that Brewer’s approval rating bounced 16 points in two weeks after the immigration law passed and Obama’s approval bounced … ahem.

Seriously, Democrats – run on this issue. Run on amnesty. Do it. I beg you.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans say they do not trust the U.S. government to do what is right, expressing the highest level of distrust in Washington in half a century, according to a public opinion survey.Only 22 percent of Americans say they trust the government “just about always” or “most of the time,” according to the Pew Research Center survey released on Sunday.

Americans’ trust in the federal government has been on a steady decline from a high of 73 percent during the Eisenhower administration in 1958, when the “trust” question was first posed in a national survey, the research center said.

Over at the HQ, Dave in Texas reminds us that the Tea Party movement remains – in spite of this news – a marginal, extremist movement peopled mostly by skinheads, Nazis, Nazi skinheads and transvestite vampire hookers from Hell.

Speaker Pelosi poses in front of a metaphor for her congressional majority

Here at From The Maas, we love to chronicle the exploits of the Olympian Geniuses who populate the marbled halls of the United States Congress. Like all Americans, we stand in awe of the massed intellectual firepower of our legislative world-beaters as they demonstrate daily their administrative prowess and nearly all-consuming attention to detail, all for the purpose of improving the lives of the common American citizen.

Turns out that fantastically long, mind-bogglingly complex bills which no one has actually read may create unintended consequences. Remember how they forgot to require insurers to cover kids with preexisting conditions? Oh, and they forgot initially to let young adults be covered by their parents’ insurance until Reid fixed it in reconciliation. Now this. Who knew that when Pelosi said they’d have to pass the bill so that people could find out what’s in it, “people” meant Congress?

[starts slow clap]

Congratulations, Congress. You’ve outdone yourselves. Why don’t you just take the rest of the year off? Really, you could use a break. And frankly, so could we.